Walters Healthcare Resources: Hospital Is First Facility to Install Innovative Ceiling System

3/22/2016

Warren, Pa. — Jan. 21, 2016 — Warren General Hospital is the first facility worldwide to install the IN-DAPT Ceiling System developed by Walters Healthcare Resources (WHR) of Palmer, Texas.

IN-DAPT is a modular, medical construction grid system that allows for the easy installation and repositioning of the ever-increasing technologies and services that are installed in, routed through, or hang from the ceiling.

Eliminating the complexity of adding new technologies and reducing the time involved from weeks to literally overnight, the IN-DAPT System removes the typical obstacles that hospitals face when considering upgrades.

“By allowing medical facilities to implement new technologies faster, more economically, and with minimal disruption to operating room schedules, IN-DAPT essentially future-proofs the OR,” said Mark Walters, WHR’s founder and the system’s inventor. “Each new medical innovation can be selected based on the efficiency and patient-care benefits it provides, without the typical concerns about lost OR time or the complexity of installation.”

Warren’s director of surgical services, Jolene Johnson agreed, saying that by streamlining the installation process, the system also streamlines the decision-making process.

“If we want to add anything going forward, the infrastructure and wiring is all there. It’s just a matter of removing panels, making the change and replacing the panels,” she said. This will allow Warren to bring new efficiencies and improved care solutions to its patients, not only quickly but as frequently as needed.

Designing new technologies to be installed in and above the ceiling is a logical trend that has been going on for several decades. These devices use services such as electrical, medical gas, and plumbing that are already installed in the ceiling — and, their off-the-ground installation minimizes the use of valuable operating room floor space, thereby creating safer, more efficient OR workflows.

“The problem is that the rapid rate of medical innovation has created somewhat of a traffic jam, as architects, builders, and healthcare professionals are challenged with the cost and complexity of installing an increasing number of new and improved technologies above the ceiling — all while avoiding physical and technical conflicts,” Walters said.

“Each new medical innovation kicks off another round of renovation and construction. Due to the rate of medical innovation, this cycle and the related delays and costs are a seemingly endless challenge to the hospital. IN-DAPT breaks that cycle — permanently."

Since IN-DAPT integrates all mechanical, electrical, medical gases, imaging, audio, and structural mounts in a single intelligent solution, changes can be made to a room’s ceiling configuration literally overnight. Key to the solution is IN-DAPT’s complete modularity, which allows equipment to be installed anywhere in the grid, then easily repositioned, re-configured, or re-designed during and after initial ceiling construction.